St. Louis, MO. –Justin Woodard and other rug experts recently traveled to Austin, Texas, where they announced the formation of the Association of Rug Care Specialists (ARCS), the only national area rug care industry association.

Justin Woodard is one of the founding board members of the association. Starting last year, Woodard met with other industry professionals to work out details of the association, whose goal is to single-mindedly focus on the cleaning and care of area rugs, while fostering best practices to improve the future of the industry.

Nearly 60 years ago, Justin’s grandparents, Earl and Nancy Woodard, together with other rug experts started the National Institute of Rug Cleaners (NIRC). Through this association, experts shared their wisdom and skills in the field. Over the years, however, rug cleaning did not remain as the sole focus of the organization. Woodard said, “a group of us looked at the direction of this group and determined that we needed to create an organization that focused solely on developing the rug cleaning and care industry, making ‘rugs’ its only focus,” Justin continued, “The group that founded ARCS has several sons, daughters and grandchildren of the original founders of the NIRC. We’ve pooled our resources and built a new organization that will help the industry grow and serve customers.”

In Austin, Woodard and other members attended an inaugural plant tour at Deep Eddy Rug and Carpet Cleaners. There, members of the ARCS got a chance to catch up with their fellow industry leaders. Woodard said, “It was great to see everyone together again, taking ambitious steps in the rug industry. We get to continue the legacy of our own company (Woodard Cleaning & Restoration), but we also get to continue the legacy of a nationwide group of people who are committed to improving the rug industry. There are a lot of great friendships and families involved.”

The ARCS will also help improve the industry by creating an educational curriculum aimed at teaching core skills such as rug identification, cleaning techniques, and business management courses. The curriculum will be taught by specialists in the industry. “There is nothing like the ARCS in America,” Justin continued, “Other rug cleaning businesses will be able to get certified with the highest standards in the industry.”

Moving forward, the members of the association will continue to learn “best practices,” take tours of different rug cleaning facilities across the nation, and meet regularly for educational opportunities. In a couple of months, members will visit a Navajo reservation to explore the intricacies of the Native American people, their traditions, and of course, their beautiful rugs.

Most importantly, however, Woodard Cleaning & Restoration will continue to share and exchange knowledge with the best companies in the rug cleaning and care industry, so they can service customers with industry-leading approaches. “While our company has 65 years of experience cleaning rugs, there is always something we can learn or teach to others. This is an exciting time to be in the industry!” Woodard said.

About Woodard Cleaning & Restoration
Woodard Cleaning & Restoration Services was founded in 1946 as St. Louis’ first in-home rug and carpet cleaning company, and is now the area’s largest commercial and residential cleaning company for carpets, rugs, and furniture. Additionally, Woodard is a preferred provider of water, fire, and smoke restoration services. For more information, visit www.woodard247.com or call 314-961-9102.